Millard 'Swede' Nordgaarden, 80

Millard "Swede" Nordgaarden, 80, passed away in Sandpoint, Idaho, on Tuesday, May 9, 2006.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 15, 2006, in Coffelt's Funeral Chapel. Pastor David Olson, First Lutheran Church, will officiate. Interment will follow in Pinecrest Memorial Park. Friends may call at the funeral home until service time on Monday.

Swede was born in Thief River Falls, Minn., on Jan. 4, 1926, the son of Gilbert and Emma Nordgaarden.

In 1943, the family moved to the Sandpoint area and he worked, in construction, at Farragut Naval Base. He worked on the construction of the Cabinet Gorge Dam and the Albeni Falls Dam. He also worked in the construction phase of the dams on the Columbia River system.

On July 4, 1952, Swede married Madge Tillman in Sandpoint, where they made their home. He worked as an automobile mechanic for Lakeshore Motors and he later established Swede's Auto Repair on Division Street. He operated the repair shop until retiring in 1993.

Swede enjoyed fishing, working on the local stock cars for the track at Colburn and his dog, Puddin.

He was a member of the First Lutheran Church and a golden member of the Sandpoint Eagles Lodge, Aerie No. 589.

He is survived by three children, Gary Nordgaarden of Spokane, Wash., Marvin (and Sarah) Nordgaarden of Yuma, Ariz., and Roxann (and Kenneth) Cox of Sandpoint; eight grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Eddie (and Sonja) Nordgaarden of Sandpoint, Arnold (and Peggy) Nordgaarden of St. Louis, Mo., and Glen (and RuthAnn) Nordgaarden of Hope; four sisters, Lila (and Randy) Peterson of Sandpoint, Grace (and Steve) Brixen of Sandpoint, Manda (and Marion) Benton of Spokane, Wash., and Gladys Wahl of Everett, Wash.; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Madge; three brothers, Gaylord, LeRoy and Earl; and a sister, Darlene.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Coffelt Funeral Service of Sandpoint.